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Mild salty wind moaned eerily as it swirled off the deep choppy cove between the far southern desert peninsula, and the mainland. Although it was not as frigid as the cold mountain gusts beyond the Foothills, it cooled the slight sweat which had leaked to dull Africa’s puddly-grey coat as she traipsed away from the water’s edge. For a moment she hesitated, turning with narrowing lash-lined eyes to gaze out across the waves which had in turn devoured the magnificent progress of the Throat’s wall. It was a fleeting thought, random and hasty; spurred by the unrelenting wind’s cry, but she wanted to be certain that no foe would be capable of penetrating her territory through its midst- there could be no way, unless by flight. Exhaling loudly, the Starry-eyed turned away a final time.

She paused at the base of the old tree where Silas waited patiently, watching always, like a silent sentinel in the night. Bright violet, shrewd and sharp, met the soft subtle sandy hue of the mare’s gaze as it wandered upwards to greet and embrace him. A new maturity had set through his character; brooding and dark like the sleek black strewn beneath murky accents of purple cloaking him. He was fiercely protective over the keeper of his heart- far more than ever before.

He heard first the muffled drum of hooves, felt its vibration beneath the whispering wind. Africa remained blissfully unaware that another approached, upwind and conscious only of the thrash of that sea to her rear. The hunched zephyr’s small skull turned towards the burning lake where the thick column of smoke and ash gushed ever upwards and through pinning pupils, scanned the area there from whence the movement seemed to have come.

Curiously she followed the shift of her friend’s attention, glancing with him towards the Heart Caves, though none the wiser about for what they were searching. Soon enough though, she too became aware of the stallion as he barrelled unexpectedly out of the darkness- too close already for her to really be able to react. Shadows seemed envelope him, swallow him, and it unsettled her enough to cause a jerking backward retreat. Above her, the bird’s wings were opening into a glittering haze of star-light and she could feel a fury brewing through his mind.

"Wait!"

Her voice choked frantically, the quiet gentleness of its tenor cloaked suddenly in panic. Already the zephyr was riding wrathfully upon the thrust of his great wingspan, preparing an assault through warped time-speed. He had become proficient in the art, melding easily the light of day or obscurity of night at will; slowing and speeding the world as it spun so erratically around them. "Silas please wait..." She cried again, though this time pleading through their bound minds. The bird startled at the sound of his beloved’s desperation, lifting away at once in a vast circle into the sparkling world above.

The stallion had by then barrelled past, dodging with skill the propped figure of the Starry-eyed as her expression caught between the throes of confusion and delight. She turned upon lean, strong legs right as he did, not quite believing the reality descending upon her. "Silk?" She gasped breathlessly, anxiously, reaching with trembling lips to touch him; to find the warmth of life beneath the black gloss of his taught shoulder.

Africa